Petrolul coach Sousa targets play-offs amid insolvency after return to fourth

Petrolul defeated UTA Arad 1-0 to return to fourth place in the Romanian league standings. Head coach Ricardo Sousa stated that the next seven matches will be decisive for the team reaching the play-offs despite the club operating under insolvency proceedings.

The club has accumulated 27 points at the season midpoint. This total nearly matches the 30 points Petrolul collected during the entire previous campaign, indicating improved on-field performance relative to the prior year.

Sousa acknowledged competing against U Cluj, FCSB and Farul, noting that these opponents possess significantly larger budgets than Petrolul. He stated his priority is building a recognizable team identity at the club despite limited financial resources.

The seven fixtures identified as decisive include away games at Dinamo and Rapid plus home matches against FC Argeș, U Craiova, Voluntari and U Cluj. A Romanian Cup match against Sepsi scheduled for December 2 also falls between these league fixtures.

Sousa will miss the upcoming match against Dinamo after receiving a red card during the victory at Arad. His absence from the touchline coincides with the start of the sequence he described as critical for the club's seasonal objectives.